SIREN THE MAGICIAN SOUS VOILE CHARDONNAY 2023

Ashleigh Barrowman is fast emerging as one of New Zealand’s most exciting winemaking talents. Her wines are increasingly sought after.

She has learnt from some of the best – having cut her teeth working with legends like Patrick Sullivan (Aus), Hans Herzog (NZ), Vino di Anna (Sicily), Domaine Labet (Jura), Jean-Jacques Morel (Burgundy) & Les Bottes Rouges (Jura). After years of being a travelling winemaker, she returned home in 2020 to Marlborough, NZ, and fell in love with the Wrekin Vineyard. Years later, she continues to craft distinct single-vineyard, single-varietal wines that truly represent time and place.

Ashleigh balances her time working amongst the vines and in the cellar. All wines are produced by Ashleigh from certified organic vineyards – they are hand-picked, wild fermented and unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulphites at bottling. 

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"The Magician – the 'master manifestor', stands for new beginnings and opportunities and access to unlimited opportunities. The Magician brings you all the tools, resources and energy you need to achieve your goals – or perhaps you already had them? The seed of potential has been planted and it is time to bring your dreams to fruition. Trust yourself and take action, the time is now.

Golden hue. Rich and nutty aromas lifted with caramelised apples and toasted hazelnuts. Crisp and refreshing at first, saline and zesty on the mid palate. Flavours of lemon meringue pie, pineapple turnover and sweet pastry. Followed with a savoury, dry and lingering finish. A cosy Winter white.

Biodynamically grown by The Wrekin vineyard in Marlborough. The grapes were hand picked and direct-pressed into a single old barrique for wild fermentation and matured in the same vessel for 3 years without being topped up. During this time in barrel, the wine developed a flor (veil) which protected the wine from oxygen as the water content of the wine continued to evaporate from the barrel. Approximately 60L of wine evaporated from the barrel during the 3 years. This wine is a homage to time spent in Jura, France making wine 'sous voile' (under veil) to produce a rich, nutty and oxidised style of white wine. Certified organic fruit. Unfined. Unfiltered. Vegan. Minimal sulphites added at bottling. Bottled under cork and wax. 

Only 20 cases were produced."

Reviews for previous vintages below…

5 Stars & 96/100 Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review (2021 Vintage)
"Winemaker Ashleigh Barrowman honed her craft working vintages in Europe, and this wine in particular is inspired by her time in the Jura. Biodynamic fruit from the Wrekin Vineyard in the Southern Valleys forms the basis of this electric wine. Sous voile (under veil) is the term used in the Jura for wines which age under a film of flor yeast similar to what one encounters in Jerez. In this case it means that this wine—just a single barrel—was allowed to age under flor for three years without being topped up.

Burnished gold. Densely layered, complex nose with both developed nutty, butterscotch aromas and fresh, pure floral talcum. Fascinating. The palate is very concentrated with yuzu, green olive, butterscotch, lemon verbena and chamomile flavours injected onto a powerfully driven yet airy-light palate which uses phenolics and acidity to create the illusion of space. Everything comes down to land on the long, saline, pithy and stony finish. Iconoclastic and impressive."